Pet Nutrition Sensory & Analytics Product Design Lead

Hill's Pet Nutrition; Topeka (KS); On-site; USD 145,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Life insurance

Paid parental leave

401(k) with company match

Vacation and holidays

Job summary

Colgate-Palmolive is seeking a Sensory & Analytical Manager to lead a premier team in Topeka, KS. You will bridge sensory science, analytics, and product design to translate pet preferences into actionable product innovations.

The role emphasizes leadership of labs, cross-functional collaboration, and data-driven decision making. The position focuses on advancing methodologies, driving lab operations, and delivering insights that support premium pet nutrition portfolios.

Qualifications

• PhD in Sensory Science or a related discipline.
• 4+ years in food or pet food industry experience, including direct supervisory experience managing scientific teams.
• Proven mastery of human sensory study design, laboratory experimental design, and advanced analytical food testing methods.
• Understanding of regulatory, product safety, and quality standards relevant to companion animal or human food production.

Responsibilities

• Oversee creation and adaptation of sensory and analytical testing methods and establish KPIs linking lab data with pet preference and consumer satisfaction.
• Lead the Sensory and Product Design Analytical laboratories; mentor scientists and drive operational excellence.
• Develop data visualization, analytical modeling, and reporting frameworks; translate research into actionable insights for technical teams and executives.
• Collaborate with Product Development, Quality, Regulatory, Procurement and external vendors to align technical deliverables with business strategies.
• Investigate core product design variables to uncover drivers of performance and consumer acceptance.

Skills

Sensory science

Laboratory leadership

Data analytics

Study design

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

PhD in Sensory Science

Job description

Colgate-Palmolive is seeking a Sensory & Analytical Manager to lead a premier team in Topeka, KS. You will bridge sensory science, analytics, and product design to translate pet preferences into actionable product innovations.

The role emphasizes leadership of labs, cross-functional collaboration, and data-driven decision making. The position focuses on advancing methodologies, driving lab operations, and delivering insights that support premium pet nutrition portfolios.